Web-based mapping services provide satellite imagery, street maps, and street view perspectives to vehicle navigation systems and location-aware client devices (e.g., smart phones, computer tablets, wearable computers), including providing services such as route planning and turn-by-turn directions. Web-based mapping services maintain a map database of map data representing road networks and associated features such as points of interest. A point of interest (POI) is a specific point location that someone may find useful or interesting, including but not limited to historical landmarks, parks, museums, hospitals, schools and businesses. POIs in map datum typically include latitude and longitude of the POI. A name or description for the POI may also be included in the map datum. Navigation applications typically use icons to represent different categories of POIs on a map graphically.
Commercial POI collections can be purchased by map service providers on a subscription basis or obtained from a royalty-free collection. Such POI collections may be inaccurate and/or incomplete. Map service providers may have to rely on third-party vendors to update their POI collections to correct for errors or to identify new POIs, thus preventing map service providers from controlling the quantity and quality of the POI data served to client devices.